It seems a shame that a town would consider banning dogs from the public park but their owners have no one to blame but themselves. From Capital 9 News (NY):
If [Pittsfield] Parks Commission Chairman Charles Garivaltis were to get his way, your dog wouldn't be able to set a paw in Pittsfield's parks. That's because he says owners are letting their dogs use public parks like they're public restrooms.But many don't like the idea of banning man's best friend from public play spaces. They think it's a manner of teaching some owners new tricks.
"Just a little swipe of the dog bag. And you take it with you. You pick up your dog belongings and then you drop them on your way out of the park area," said Anne Lucy.
It was a full house at the Park's Commission meeting to consider a proposal banning dogs in Pittsfield's park.
About 20 residents attended a commission meeting, most dismissed the idea of banning all dogs from parks as absurd. They offered alternative ideas to reduce the droppings like making a special dog park or increasing fines for those who don't pick up after their four-legged friends.
A Pittsfield resident said, "Take one day out of the month and have your officer go to a random park and ticket as many people with dogs not on a leash they're not picking up their messes. One day and fine everybody that does that."
These are the same folks who could care less about teaching their animals to deal with "seperation anxiety" and instead turn a deaf ear to their neighbor's complaints that the lonely dog barks all day long while the owner is away.
This is all part of the big problem in America these days where people of the spoiled-rotten generations coming up think only of their instant concerns and to hell with anyone else. There IS no sense of community anymore.